Both the Sociology major and the Anthropology major require four credits of individualized study in one of four options: an internship, a senior thesis, a research assistantship, or a teaching apprenticeship. All four require student initiative, instructor approval, and 50 hours of effort per credit, which works out to 13 hours a week for a full semester. Students can take all four capstone credits in the same semester, or work with their major advisor to break them up over multiple semesters.
Internships – To complete an internship, you identify an appropriate opportunity, work an agreed schedule with the organization, and provide written analysis of your work to your major advisor. For more information, go here: Internship
Senior Thesis – To complete a senior thesis, you conduct your own independent research on a topic of your choosing, and then write a report of your results that is significantly longer and in more depth than an ordinary course paper. Students who wish to graduate with honors must complete a senior thesis. For more information, go here: Senior Thesis
Research Assistantship – In this capstone, you assist a faculty member with their research. What form that research takes – in the lab, in the field, conducting surveys, analyzing data, writing reports, etc. - depends on the project. The faculty pages on the department’s website outline each professor’s area of interest, which is a good place to start. Because research assistantships can look so different depending on which faculty member you are working with and what the research project entails, you should get all additional information about this option directly from the faculty member you plan to work with. Please see Student Research for related information.
Teaching Apprenticeship – You assist a professor in teaching a course, normally an introductory level course that you have successfully taken yourself. Specific duties for this capstone vary a lot depending on the course you are working with, but will generally include both attending all class sessions as well as additional work outside the class. This capstone requires approval of the CAS Dean’s Office after you have worked with an individual professor to set it up. For more information, go here: Teaching Apprenticeship